Forward-error-correction (FEC) communication schemes are currently used in a wide range of wireline and wireless networks such as GSM (Global System for Mobile communication), EDGE (Enhanced Data for Global Evolution), 802.xx, W-CDMA (wide-band Code-Division Multiple Access), HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access), CDMA2000, and DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting). One of the most common forward-error-correction techniques is convolutional encoding and Viterbi decoding.
A Viterbi decoder in a wireless communication device attempts to recreate the original data stream that was encoded by the convolution encoder in the transmitter. The encoded data bits are transmitted by the transmitter and received by the wireless communication device. In Viterbi decoding, path metric addressing has been a challenging engineering and non-trivial problem.